THE neediest people in Ryedale could be left without vital services as charities battle to raise money despite the credit crunch.

Last week, John Low, chief executive at the Charities Aid Foundation, warned that charities could face difficult times ahead.

The Encephalitis Society, which covers the UK and Ireland from its Resource Centre in Malton, has seen donations drop by more than 27 per cent in the past year, from £75,666 to £54,752. The society believes a further reduction will become evident when they calculate the amount that has been donated over the summer.

Development manager Ava Easton said: “Unfortunately when times are hard, the first thing that many people cut back on is donations to charity. We are concerned about the future because although we have less money, the demand for our services is increasing.”

Jenifer Brenner, speaking on behalf of Help the Aged in Malton, said: “The critical issue we are facing at the moment is a down-turn in quality donations being made to the shops. Fewer people moving house, having big clear-outs and bringing what they don’t want to us. On the whole, people are making do with what they have. With fewer items to sell in our shops, we can’t raise as much money to help disadvantaged older people.”

Richard Mellon, owner of Saville’s cookshop in Malton whose daughter Lydia was diagnosed with a rare liver disease when she was just 10 weeks old, says he was shocked when he went to the annual meeting of the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) earlier this month.

He said: “The charity says its income this year has gone down significantly. If the CLDF’s funding levels continue to fall, it may even have to stop funding research into liver disease. When my daughter was diagnosed with liver disease, it was a horrendous time. The CLDF provided endless information, put us in touch with the other families in the same situation, and were our shoulder to cry on. Everyone is finding it hard to cope financially at the moment – as a businessman I am in the same boat. “However, the work these charities do is not a luxury, it is a necessity, and we all need to find a way to keep up our support.”